When Conan O'Brien shifted to Tonight, he hired veteran Daily Show writer Rob Kutner. As a writer, Kutner extended his output beyond just monologues. He's written books, web series, panel comics, graphic novels and...comedy albums. Teaming up with frequent collaborators the Levinson Brothers (Stephen and Joel Moss) and recruiting a cast of famous friends, he released It's OK To...Do Stuff in 2012 through Rooftop Comedy Productions.
The short album was recorded and released to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of Marlo Thomas (and Friends') Free to Be...You and Me. A seminal children's album, TV Special and book, Thomas brought together musicians, actors and comedians to record a series of songs, sketches, poems and stories that challenged typical gender norms in both an earnest and subversively comic fashion. Kutner and the Levinsons couldn't just write a "comedy" version of Free to Be because it was already funny, and they didn't want to simply lampoon Thomas's feminist efforts. Instead, they landed on a formula to poke fun at the beloved classic by writing songs that were a bit too adult to have made the original's cut.
Joel Moss Levinson handles the music and the comedy is a team effort. Their songs speak to those who grew up on Thomas's lessons but then, like on "Divorce Makes a Family Twice as Big," got a dose of reality and a bit of cynicism from a world still trying to live up to her ideals. "Divorce" is the comic stand-out on a listenable Side A, but despite base material ripe for satire, Kutner and the Levinsons run out of steam quickly and close out the album with some comic clunkers, especially the closing "Everyone's Equally" that hasn't faith in the people of the world nor any sense of comic rhythm.
The wrangled stars that bring the album to life include musicians Steven Page of The Barenaked Ladies, Jane Wiedlen of The Go-Go's and comedians Samantha Bee, Wyatt Cenac, and James Urbaniak among many other of Rob Kutner's co-workers and friends. Unfortunately, they lack the charisma to better sell the material. Not like there was enough to work with, most of the big names only get a single line.
The album is unfortunately too song-forward and doesn't try for the balance of poetry, skits and stories that mixes so well on Free to Be. The exception is the two comedy sketches "Girl Meets Boy" and "Girl Meets Droid" which are comic extensions to the wonderful Mel Brooks/Marlo Thomas sketch "Boy Meets Girl." Like the rest of the album, the sketches are shadows of the original material. It's OK To...Do Stuff is a fun concept and devoted to the original, but it also feels rushed and needed more attention for it to be anything more than a few laughs...
But if you wanted any more proof that Rob Kutner and tbe Levinsons' hearts were in the right place, all proceeds from the record were donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a favorite charity of Marlo Thomas.
Note: Conan O'Brien's long-time Late Night and Tonight Show and Conan sidekick, Andy Richter, has a role on the song/sketch "Friends of Friends." Making this Tour stop was mostly an excuse to get Richter, by whatever means, into this ongoing Tonight Show history. It was either this or the All Hail King Julien soundtrack just for the song "I Love Your Toes" where Andy sings as the character Mort. After a few listens of that song: I, too, wish I were mort.
Here is the discography surrounding Rob Kutner and the Levinson Brothers' debut album:
It's OK To...Do Stuff
"It's OK to Do Stuff" by Rob Kutner and the Levinson Brothers featuring Jane Wiedlin
"Girl Meets Boy/Droid" by Rob Kutner and the Levinson Brothers featuring Fred Willard, Lizzy Caplan and Eugene Mirman
"Divorce Makes a Family Twice as Big" by Rob Kutner and the Levinson Brothers featuring Colin Hanks and Kimmy Gatewood
Pass the Headphones!!